


Third Dates Rule

by Kay Cassidy (Nochi)



Category: Original Work
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexuality, F/M, Other, asexual discussion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-27
Updated: 2016-02-27
Packaged: 2018-05-23 12:11:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6116080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nochi/pseuds/Kay%20Cassidy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It didn't matter, except for the parts that mattered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Third Dates Rule

**Author's Note:**

> Adeline has been asexual since I first thought of her, and I worried about how I would introduce that without knocking people over the head with a moral or whatever. This is an attempt to get both hers and Joshua's feelings about it down, in addition to being spurred into existence by a friend's lament over lack of ace representation in...everything. 
> 
> (The setting itself is still fluctuating wildly in my head, except for the part where something is making kids start showing powers - elemental, animal-based, some spiritual stuff. Adeline works in a clinic for sudden emergence of said abilities, being one of the rare cases of someone with power before whatever is making the new abilities show up happened. Specifically, she's a medium, who can call spirits and communicate with them on behalf of the living world.)

Adeline stretched her arms over her head, leaning to either side in an attempt to pull the stiffness out of her shoulders. Ten-hour shifts weren’t fun on a normal day, let alone one involving triplets who had all come into elemental affinities on the same day - and all with different elements. Tomorrow they’d have to draw straws for whoever got to paint over the scorch marks on the ceiling.

She had just slid her coat on when Morry came into the break room, arms full of cases to be filed. “Run,” he said flatly, “before you get roped into this mess too.”

She smiled at him, tired and a little apologetic. “I’d save you if I could, but I have plans.”

“Third date with whatshisname, right?” Morry set the cases on the table with a thump and leaned on them to look at her. “You know what that means.”

“We’ve had more than two dates but less than four?” Adeline said dryly, getting a chuckle out of Morry. 

“Have fun, girl. Be safe.”

“I work at extranatural urgent care, Morry. If you want me to be safe, fire me.” 

His laughter followed her out down the hall. 

 

“Whatshisname” was Joshua, a high school teacher she’d met when he came to ask about a sudden behavior shift in one of his students. Poor girl had turned out to be a conduit for passing spirits, and they’d had a fine time trying to hunt down a specialist to help her. They’d had a couple of dinner dates, but this time he was cooking for her. She was excited - even if the meal was a flop, she just liked being around him.

Morry’s teasing floated through her mind while she was putting on makeup, and she pulled a face at her reflection. He meant well, it was just exasperating after so many “third date rules” had blown up in her face. And if she was being honest, she was a little worried this one would too. But she didn’t think Joshua was that kind of guy. She hoped not, anyway. 

Hopefully he was a good cook, if nothing else.

 

Dinner was good, the conversation was fun, and the wine he poured for them afterwards was just decent enough to make her forget she hated wine. They sat on the sofa, trading work stories, and Adeline felt _right_. Comfortable in his home, in his presence. Enough to lean in when he kissed her, and belatedly realize it sent entirely the wrong signal when he rested his hand on her waist, pulling her body into his.

She pulled back, heart already sinking. It dropped like a stone when she saw the confused look on his face. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I thought - I’m sorry.”

“No,” she said insistently. “No, don’t be. You didn’t do anything wrong.” She tried to repress a sigh. “I just - I don’t - I don’t like sex.” More confusion in his face now. “I don’t have the same reactions to things most people find ‘sexy’ or ‘arousing’. My mind and my body are just...not wired for them. So I have pretty much no interest in sex.”

“But...you kissed me.” He shook his head. “I’m not trying to say you led me on or whatever. Just trying to understand.” 

“Yeah, the wine is not helping this be an easy conversation, is it.” She smiled nervously, and was relieved when he returned it. “Kissing is fun,” she said with a shrug. “Doesn't have to lead to sex. And I’m still human, I like companionship.” She touched his arm lightly. “I like _you_. This isn’t a rebuff, or a put-off.”

He took her other hand. “I like you, too.” 

They sat that way for a moment, before Adeline shook her head. “I honestly don’t know where to go from here,” she said quietly. “Usually this conversation ends with ‘well maybe we’re just not right for each other then’ and me going home alone.”

“That’s dumb,” Joshua said immediately. “Those guys are dumb. I asked you out to begin with because I thought you were sharp, and funny, and yes, beautiful, but that doesn’t automatically mean sexual.” 

Adeline felt something lift in her chest as he looked at her. Something that was apparently tied to her tear ducts, because her eyes were starting to well up. “So...you don’t...you don’t care?”

"I _care,_ " he corrected. "It's part of who you are, and I care about you and what makes you comfortable. It doesn't _bother_ me. Whole different thing." He lifted her hand, and very gently kissed her fingers. “I might have to ask a lot at first, just until I know where the line is.”

“That’s fine. That’s great, actually.” She couldn't see him now, through the tears threatening to spill over. 

“Can I ask something now?”

“Sure.” 

“Are you okay with cuddling? I have, like, ten blankets, we can make a straight-up cuddle nest in here.” 

Adeline laughed, tipping her head back as the first tears were shaken loose with it. “Cuddle nests are at the top of my ‘fun date’ list.”

“Good, because my grandma gives me one of these things every year. Eventually we will spread across the living room and have a cuddle nest empire. We will rule with a woolen fist.”

She was pretty sure he being intentionally silly, trying to shake the heavy mood of before, but as they sat wrapped up together on the sofa, she decided to let him. Heavy moods were not allowed in the cuddle nest. Only laughter, and acceptance, and love. 

She’d examine that last one when she stopped being so very comfortable, curled up in his arms.


End file.
